How I’m Booking My Family’s Summer 2026 Vacation to Thailand With Points

Thailand is one of my favorite countries in the world.

I fondly recall backpacking through Chiang Mai, doing various yoga retreats on Koh Phangan and Koh Yad Noi, deciding Phuket definitely wasn’t my vibe, and eating street food in Bangkok. I still think the picturesque island of Koh Tao is one of my favorite places on the planet.

But thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and having a child, I haven’t been back to Thailand since early 2019. I’ve been waiting for the right moment to return, and I want to take my husband and son between July and August of 2026.

My son will be 5 next summer, and is now accustomed to long-haul flights (we live in Spain, but my family is all in the U.S., so we go back and forth frequently). My husband is a teacher with summers off, and I work remotely, so we’re able to travel for extended periods during school holidays.

I started thinking about the trip during the summer of 2025 to create a strategy for earning enough points and miles to use toward the trip. Although I haven’t booked flights or hotels just yet, here is my estimated itinerary and my points and miles strategy, which may spark ideas on how you can plan your own vacation to Thailand.

Planning Our (Estimated) Thailand Itinerary

I feel lucky to have some flexibility around dates and destinations, but here is the general itinerary for my trip, which I’ll start in Atlanta, Georgia.

Stop #1: Doha, Qatar

This will be our first stop to recalibrate for 2 to 3 nights before continuing on to Thailand. It’s extremely hot at this time of year, so hotels are very cheap, and my main goal here is to have a comfortable place to rest that has a large swimming pool.

Stop #2: Bangkok

I adore the buzzing energy of Bangkok, but I’ve never been there with a little one in tow. We’ll plan 3 nights in Thailand’s capital. Right now, I have enough AAdvantage miles for the Doha-to-Bangkok flight, mainly from the welcome offer I earned from opening the AAdvantage^® Aviator^® Red World Elite Mastercard^®.

I’m going to skip most of the main tourist attractions, which I’ve seen before, and focus on enjoying the hotel swimming pool and doing activities that I know my son will love — like riding the ferry along the Chao Phraya River, taking the Skytrain, and riding tuk-tuks from A to B. My husband wants to shop for affordable clothing and trinkets along Khao San Road.

I’ll be happy eating mango sticky rice and street noodles for every meal, and I can’t wait to get a massage at my favorite spot, the Orchid Massage and Spa Sathon. The Asiatique Sky Ferris Wheel, at the Asiatique Riverfront, is an attraction I think my whole family will love. Plus, the Asiatique market feels a bit less crazy than some of Bangkok’s other, more crowded and chaotic night markets. I know it’s rainy season, but I’ve been there many times during July and August and was unfazed by the sporadic rainstorms.

Stop #3: Khao Yai National Park

Although I have fond memories of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, I’m not interested in elephant sanctuaries. Instead, I want to spot elephants (and other animals like gibbons, deer, and crocodiles) in the wild at Khao Yai National Park, one of Thailand’s hidden gems for 3 or 4 nights.

It’s a few hours’ drive from Bangkok (125 miles) and home to the country’s largest waterfall, Haew Narok Waterfall. Since we’ll be exploring with my 5-year-old, long hikes are off the table, but I’d like to teach him about respecting wildlife in the wild at a young age with some short, guided walks to spot wildlife — including a night safari. I’m slightly concerned about the fact that we’ll all have to wear leech socks, but some of the best adventures start with light hesitation, so I’m just going with the flow.

Stop #4: Gulf of Thailand

Thai islands are magical, and the islands in the Gulf of Thailand are in the dry season, meaning we should see excellent beach weather. My points will take us the furthest on Koh Samui (and this island has the most to do for kids), and we’ll plan to be here for roughly 2 weeks.

Stop #5: Singapore

I’ve never been to Singapore, and ending out the trip before heading home to Spain at the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the famous food hawkers sounds like fun. We’ll plan for a couple of nights at our final stop.

Booking Flights With Points and Miles

After spending some time perusing options on point.me, I was able to get an idea of the amount of points I would need for different legs of the trip. Qatar Airways ended up being the best choice anyway, based on rates and transfer options.

Flight #1: Atlanta (ATL) to Doha (DOH)

On select dates in mid-July 2026, flights from Atlanta to Doha cost 35,000 Qatar Avios in economy or 70,000 points in business per person. For my family of 3, in total, it would cost 105,000 Qatar Avios in economy or 210,000 in business class.

Many dates had just 2 seats available in business, so the most likely option is that this 13-hour flight will be in economy for us unless more availability opens up. However, this is the longest flight we’ll take, so if I do splurge for business class, it might just be on this leg, if I can find availability.

I have 70,000 Qatar Avios from my Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card, but once I get the 80,000-point bonus offer from my newly obtained Citi Strata Elite℠ Card, I can transfer points to Qatar (at a 1:1 ratio) and at least have enough to fly us in economy between Atlanta and Doha. I’ll do my best over the next few months to spend as much as possible on my Qatar Visa and my Citi Strata Elite card in hopes of getting enough points to land us in business class.

Since Capital One has just recently added Qatar as a transfer partner, I also have the option to top off my Qatar Avios balance by transferring Capital One miles.

Hot Tip:

Another option is booking the trip from Atlanta to Bangkok using Qatar’s stopover program (where I could stay for a few nights “for free”), but it’s harder to get the best value on this using your Avios. Cash rates for the one-way ticket are around $1,100 per person (including the hotel).

Flight #2: Doha (DOH) to Bangkok (BKK)

A few days later, I can use 25,000 AAdvantage miles per person to fly in economy from Doha to Bangkok (a total of 75,000 AAdvantage miles), also on Qatar Airways. This flight is just under 7 hours, so I don’t mind being in economy for this leg. I didn’t see any business availability now, but I will keep an eye out.

Flight #3: Bangkok (BKK) to Samui (USM)

The Samui airport is owned by Bangkok Airways, the airline that operates most of the flights to and from the island.

I had a stash of Bangkok Airways FlyerBonus miles, but they unfortunately expired during the pandemic. I’ll have to pay cash for this approximately hourlong flight, but since I have a $300 Capital One Travel credit on my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, I might book the flight through Capital One Travel.

Alternatively, I could use Capital One miles to pay for the flight. I don’t mind not booking directly, since Bangkok Airways isn’t an airline I frequently fly with (though it’s actually a fantastic airline — they have one of the best safety videos I’ve seen, with dancing flight attendants). Flights range from $78 to $200 per person, each way.

Flight #4: Samui (USM) to Singapore (SIN)

For this 2-hour flight, I could fly Bangkok Airways or, alternatively, Scoot (Singapore Airline’s low-cost counterpart).

Flights are available on Capital One Travel, so I’ll likely try to use whatever is left of my $300 travel credit or pay in cash and redeem Capital One miles for the travel charges off my statement within 90 days of purchase. Some flights are around $100 per person.

Flight #5: Singapore (SIN) to Madrid (MAD) via Doha (DOH)

I have a few different options for this flight back to our home in Madrid.

This return trip costs just 35,000 AAdvantage miles per person in economy on Qatar Airways. There wasn’t enough business availability for 3 people, but I’ll keep an eye out. In economy class, this flight for 3 would be 105,000 AAdvantage miles in total.

Likewise, I could use 45,000 Iberia Avios per person to fly on Qatar in economy per person, for a total of 135,000 Iberia Avios. Although the flight between Singapore and Madrid is more expensive using Iberia Avios, I currently have a stash of about 100,000 Avios, meaning I’d only have to transfer over 35,000 Chase or Amex points (fewer, if there’s another 30% transfer bonus anytime soon) to Iberia to have enough for the ticket.

Hot Tip:

I have a bulk of Chase Ultimate Rewards points I can transfer at a 1:1 ratio, thanks to my Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card. I also have Amex Membership Rewards points that can transfer to Iberia Avios at a 1:1 ratio.

Booking Hotels With Points and Miles

I have my eye on a few key hotels for this trip, and I am willing to be flexible and change things up based on deals, promotions, and points opportunities.

Hotel in Doha

In Doha, I’d like to stay at the Intercontinental Doha Beach & Spa, which is part of the IHG One Rewards programs. It has a kids playroom, a massive pool, and beach access. July rates start at 41,000 IHG One Rewards points per night or $181 per night.

Hotel in Bangkok

My main nonnegotiable for a Bangkok hotel is having a refreshing swimming pool, which most larger Bangkok hotels have. I love the location of the Royal Orchid Sheraton Bangkok, which I’ve stayed at a few times.

The riverfront pool is gorgeous, and I love being on the water. Rates start at 17,500 Marriott points per night or $124 per night. I currently have enough Marriott points for a 3-night stay, though cash rates are quite affordable too.

Alternatively, I’ve had my eye on the Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, which is also on the riverfront. It has activities for children, a large pool, and a kids club.

It’s close to the Asiatique market, slightly away from all the hectic Bangkok action, which might be a good thing for a family trip. Rates start at $159 per night — and it could be an excellent way to use the $300 credit for my Citi Strata Elite card to book hotels on Citi Travel, especially because it’s not affiliated with any major point programs.

I also have a World of Hyatt free night certificate for Category 4 or lower hotels thanks to having The World of Hyatt Credit Card. The Category 3 Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit has a central location and a large swimming pool, so I’m considering it. Rooms start at $172 or 12,000 points per night.

Hotel in Khao Yai National Park

I’ve been eyeing the Intercontinental Khao Yai Resort for years. It’s a train-themed hotel I know my whole family will love, and it’s not too far from the Khao Yai National Park. Rates start at $392 or 71,000 IHG points per night.

Hotels in Koh Samui

I’d like to spend a week at the Holiday Inn Resort Bophut Beach, an IHG property where kids under 12 stay and eat free. The family-friendly beachfront resort has kids activities and a special kiddie pool area for the little ones.

The Bophut area is also close to the airport and has lots of restaurants and things to do for families. Rates start at $250 or 41,000 points per night. I want to stay at least 4 nights on points in order to get the fourth award night free, thanks to my IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card.

I also hope to get upgraded at the Holiday Inn Bophut Beach, as well as the Intercontinental Khao Yai Resort, as I’m an IHG Platinum elite status holder thanks to the card. I might also be able to use my yearly free night certificate on my IHG Premier Card for a night at the Holiday Inn Bophut Beach, if there’s availability.

Afterward, my plan is to spend the rest of my time at the Category 5 Hyatt Regency Koh Samui. In the very northern part of Chaweng, it’s quieter than the hotels in central Chaweng. The hotel’s pools look incredibly inviting, and the resort has a kids club and activities like treasure hunts and kiddie cooking classes. Rates start at 23,000 points or $375 per night.

Hotel in Singapore

I’ve always wanted to stay at Marina Bay Sands, but with summer 2026 rates hovering around $1,000, I’ll skip that in favor of the Shangri-La Singapore, which has thematic rooms and a super cute, pirate-themed children’s water play facility with 6 different areas. Rates for the lowest-category room (I guess I’ll skip the castle-themed rooms, which can run into the thousands) start at $259 per night.

Other Ways I’m Saving for Travel

In order to obtain more points, I’m going to look for Black Friday travel deals and do all my holiday shopping through shopping portals to keep bulking up my points balances. I’m spending mostly on my Citi Strata Elite card and my Chase Sapphire Preferred card for the ability to transfer to AA and Qatar, and to Iberia, Hyatt, and IHG, respectively.

I’ll make sure to use any travel credits offered (like the $300 hotel credit on the Citi Statra Elite card for hotels booked in Citi Travel and the $300 credit on my Capital One Venture X card for travel booked in Capital One Travel), as well as free night certificates on my hotel co-branded cards. I’ll also work on earning more points using Chase Offers, Capital One Offers, and Amex Offers (enrollment required).

I also get targeted offers on my Qatar Airways Visa Signature card, where I can get a couple of thousand bonus Avios when spending certain amounts on dining in specific periods of time.

Finally, I have a few long-haul flights on American Airlines coming up in winter and spring, which will hopefully add to my overall balance of AAdvantage miles.

Final Thoughts

I’m not sure if I’ll be able to take the entire trip to Thailand entirely using points and miles, but I’m certainly going to try. I’ll be thrilled if I manage to get all the long-haul flights and most of the hotels using my stash of rewards. While I haven’t actually purchased any travel yet, I have my earning strategy in place, and I also have the flexibility to move things around if availability and prices change.

The most important thing to me is ensuring I actually use all the travel credits, free night certificates, and perks I’m offered from my credit cards. Here’s hoping my month in Thailand ends up being as affordable as possible — so I can spend more on massages, tuk-tuks, and street noodles.